IN THE CITY OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS, STUDYING ENGLISH CAN STILL BE A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY

INTRODUCING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH

In 1620, the Pilgrim Fathers, a group of would-be New World settlers, set sail from Plymouth harbour, their final destination America. The ensuing trans-Atlantic voyage in their small ship, The Mayflower, has become an icon for courage, tenacity and most important of all, discovery- qualities that are very much alive and well in the modern city of Plymouth today.

In 1620, the Pilgrim Fathers, a group of would-be New World settlers, set sail from Plymouth harbour, their final destination America. The ensuing trans-Atlantic voyage in their small ship, The Mayflower, has become an icon for courage, tenacity and most important of all, discovery- qualities that are very much alive and well in the modern city of Plymouth today.

As one of Britain's largest 'new' universities, Plymouth caters to the needs of some 27000 students and in keeping with the tradition of discovery established by the Pilgrim Fathers over 4 centuries earlier, the university's English Language Centre offers both international and domestic students the chance to explore and experience a broad range of exciting academic opportunities.

UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION COURSES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Large numbers of international students plan to study at universities and colleges in the UK each year, but for many, the need to develop suitable proficiency in English Language is the first major hurdle that must be overcome.

The English Language Centre provides a University English Language Foundation Programme specially designed to meet the needs of international students planning to study at Plymouth or indeed any other British university. As the name of this programme, 'English For University' (EFU) suggests, students receive expert tuition and guidance on those aspects of language, culture and study skills that are most relevant for international students entering the British Higher Education system.

'English for University' runs for 1 academic year between September and the following May (although students with a higher level of English Language proficiency may take a Fast-Track version of the programme from January) and consists of 8 different modules at undergraduate level and 10 different modules at postgraduate level. Each separate module addresses an important area in the development of language and skills for university study.

A key feature of the course is its system of regular tutorials in which students can expect to receive up to 20 minutes of one-on-one attention from their course tutor each week. This tutorial time can be spent discussing either academic or pastoral concerns, but both tutors and students agree that it plays a very important role in supporting international students' adjustment to British university life, both socially and academically.

BUSINESS MASTERS FOUNDATION COURSES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Courses such as MBAs (Master of Business Administration), MBMs (Master of Business Management) and Masters in Marketing, Logistics or any of the other specific business disciplines continue to attract international students to the UK.
Aside from high-level entry requirements in terms of English language (typically IELTS 6.5 or in some cases, IELTS 7.0), business courses like these often expect students to have either worked in business already or to have studied a specific business subject during their undergraduate degree.

The English Language Centre's Masters Qualifying Programme (MQP) is a specific business foundation course, specially designed for Diploma level students who lack the general business knowledge and English Language skills to progress directly onto a business Masters programme.

The Masters Qualifying Programme runs for 1 academic year between September and the following May and consists of 7 different modules, focusing on the development of both English Language and general Business Awareness.
Graduates from the Masters Qualifying Programme can thus expect to be well-prepared, both linguistically and academically, for the demands of any business-related Masters degree they choose to follow.

TEACHER TRAINING COURSES FOR BOTH DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
In recent years, Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) has become a major, worldwide industry and universities have reacted by offering a range of courses in teacher training. From the summer of 2005, the English Language Centre is planning to run a BA in TESOL with Modern Languages (French, German or Spanish) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching English for Academic Purposes.

Whereas the BA course is expected to run for 3 years and is aimed at students with no experience of TESOL whatsoever, the Postgraduate Certificate will be a 1 month advanced qualification for experienced teachers and is currently the only course of its kind in the UK. A key selling point of this particular programme is that successful graduates will be offered one month of employment at the university directly after the course ends.

Delivered by well-qualified and highly-experienced teacher trainers, both the BA TESOL and the PG Cert TEAP offer high-quality routes to careers in the fields of English Language Teaching and may be taken by both domestic and international students alike.

CONTACT DETAILS
Full details of these and other courses offered by the English Language Centre, including entry requirements, application procedures and costs, can be found by visiting the Centre website: http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/elc or by contacting the Centre Director, Douglas Bell directly on:
douglas.bell@plymouth.ac.uk
or Tel +44 (0) 1752 233 586
Fax +44 (0) 1752 233 569.